Further EU sanctions must be tough on Belarus, says Polish PM

Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish prime minister, has said Russia’s plans to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus must lead to additional and severe sanctions on the Belarusian government.

Morawiecki made the remark at a press conference in the Romanian capital Bucharest, which he was visiting as part of a Polish delegation for intergovernmental talks. He added that the next wave of sanctions on Belarus would be "much more severe for the (Belarusian President Alexander - PAP) Lukashenko regime."

The prime minister went on to say he was in almost daily talks with European leaders on how to construct the EU's 11th round of sanctions on Russia and Belarus over the war in Ukraine.

"In all certainty, that package will cover more actions against Belarus," he said.

"Also, we in Poland - because we border Belarus directly - are considering whether to tighten all parameters on the movements of goods and people within the framework of our bilateral relations, in order to send a very clear signal to Lukashenko that we do not accept such actions that de facto serve Russia in its aggressive activities in Ukraine and in its aggressive activities towards Poland and other EU countries," Morawiecki continued.

On Saturday, Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, announced that Moscow intends to deploy tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. According to Putin, Russia has sent Belarus nine planes capable of carrying nuclear missiles and by June 1, facilities are to be built to house the weapons.